Besler, Zusi Not on Gold Cup Roster and a Look at Who Opponents Lose

Yesterday, Jurgen Klinsmann came out with his roster for the USA for this summer's Gold Cup.  Sporting Kansas City will not be represented on the team, at least in the group stage.  KC's three players on the preliminary roster, Matt Besler, Benny Feilhaber, and Graham Zusi were all left off the final 23 man roster.

That doesn't mean though that they can't be called up later.  In this year's Gold Cup, CONCACAF is allowing team's the ability to replace up to four players on their squad after the group stage.  Those potential four players have to come from the preliminary roster.  So any of KC's 3 players could be called up for the knock out rounds.

So KC will only be down two players during the group stage of the Gold Cup, their two Haitians, Mechack Jerome and Peterson Joseph.

On the other hand, some of the teams that KC will be playing during the Gold Cup stretch will be undermanned. 

While Jairo Arrieta has been called up to the Costa Rican national team for the Gold Cup, he will not be missing this weekend's game against Kansas City.  He'll report after the game at Sporting Park Saturday.

In KC's match on July 3rd vs Vancouver though, the Whitecaps will be missing two players, Simon Thomas and Russell Teibert.  Both have been called up to the Canadian national team.  Thomas isn't one KC would have had to worry about anyway, he is Vancouver's 3rd keeper and wouldn't have played against KC anyway.  Teibert though is a bit of a loss, the 20 year old has played in 10 games, starting nine of them.  He's also scored two goals this season.

KC's next opponent, Chicago could be missing one player for the Gold Cup, Sean Johnson.  Johnson was named to the US roster for the tournament.  As the likely third keeper though I'm not sure if Johnson will miss time.  In the past, Klinsmann has let the team's third keeper remain with his club unless he was needed.  So Johnson may be available.

After Chicago, KC play host to Toronto.  TFC will be missing four players for the match, all of whom were called up by Canada for the tournament.  Defenders Ashtone Morgan and Doneil Henry have both been called in, along with midfielders Kyle Bekker and Jonathan Osorio. Only Osorio though has played the majority of TFC's games so far this season, playing in 14 games, and scoring three goals.  The other three combined have appeared in just 16 games this season for TFC.

Should the US advance to the knock out round (which it'd be shocking if they didn't), KC's opponent on July 20th, Real Salt Lake will be undermanned as well.  Salt Lake could be missing four starters for the match against Sporting. Salt Lake had three players called into the US team.  Goalkeeper Nick Rimando, team captain Kyle Beckerman, and wingback, Tony Beltran.  Those three will be a tough loss to make up for in Salt Lake. The fourth player that will be missing is forward Alvaro Saborio who was called up for Costa Rica for the tournament.

The only opponent KC play during the entire length of the Gold Cup that won't be missing players due to the Gold Cup is their final opponent in the stretch, Montreal.